Brown Tabbed Best Male Athlete

Mike Brown captured his first career Sparky, capturing the 2010 award for Best Male Athlete.

For the second year in a row, a football player has claimed the Sparky for Best Male Athlete. Mike Brown made a late surge in the voting to overtake Sam Chelanga and win the award, wrapping up the 2010 Sparkys.

Brown was voted Big South Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the first sophomore in conference history to win the award. He also placed fifth in the voting for the Big South Howard Bagwell Male Student-Athlete of the Year award, spanning all sports.

Brown got his year off to a fast start at West Virginia on Sept. 5, setting the tone for a breakout sophomore campaign. He racked up 271 all-purpose yards against the Mountaineers and scored both of the Flames' touchdowns.

Listed as a quarterback, Brown helped spark the Flames' offense in a number of ways in 2009. He tallied 698 receiving yards, the second-highest total by a sophomore in program history. He also notched nine rushing touchdowns, sharing the team lead.

Thank you to all Liberty fans who cast votes during the 2010 Sparkys, honoring the Flames' top performers and performances of the 2009-10 athletic year. Liberty's 2010-11 athletic year will officially begin Aug. 20, when the women's soccer team travels to Charlottesville to square off with Virginia.

Meanwhile, Brown and the Liberty football team will kick off the 2010 season on Sept. 4, when the Flames play host to Saint Francis (Pa.). The game, to be held at the newly-expanded Williams Stadium, is set to begin at 7 p.m.

2010 Sparkys Voting Schedule/Results
Biggest Win – Winner: Softball team's 6-4 win at Virginia (March 24, 2010)
Best Individual Performance – Winner: Sam Chelanga's NCAA national cross country championship (Nov. 23, 2009)
Best Newcomer – Winner: Siim Tuus (Men's Tennis)
Best Female Athlete – Winner: Jordan Jenkins (Women's Tennis)
Best Male Athlete – Winner: Mike Brown (Football)

Year-by-Year Winners of the Sparky for Best Male Athlete
2007: Larry Blair (Men's Basketball)
2008: Josh McDougal (Men's Cross Country/Track & Field)
2009: Rashad Jennings (Football)
2010: Mike Brown (Football)